Mobile Phone Recycling Scheme Secures Government Support

Published on: 14th Jul 2014

New Zealand's government has given official backing to an industry wide mobile phone recycling programme as an accredited Product Stewardship Scheme.

The New Zealand Telecommunications Forum's (TCF) outgoing Chief Executive
David Stone says the scheme -- known as RE:MOBILE is the first e-waste recycling
programme in the country to achieve Government accreditation.

"This Government seal of approval of our programme is proof that it has met
its environmental requirements for accreditation. Now anyone who wants to
recycle their phone knows that they are using an approved scheme," he says.

In 2010, the TCF brought together mobile operators Vodafone, Telecom and
2degrees in a collaborative partnership and the recycling programme was
established. All three mobile companies offer recycling drop-in bins and
recycling envelopes at their stores.

RE:MOBILE accepts mobile phones, mobile data devices and accessories, and is
looking to expand into other products in the future.

Under the programme,around 80% of phones passed on for recycling are
refurbished and resold elsewhere in the world. The other 20% are deconstructed,
commoditised and their component material is recovered with a better than 95%
recycling rate.

To date, the programme has collected 900,000 phones and donated $2.3 million
to charity.

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